1. The Power of Observation and The Scientific Method
What is science?
The Power of Observation and The Scientific Method

2. A way of learning about the natural world
What is science?
A way of learning about the natural world
Includes the knowledge acquired from studying and exploring the natural world
Is there an end?

3. What does it mean to inquire? Who uses this process?
Scientific Inquiry
What does it mean to inquire?
Who uses this process?
Why do we use this process?
Where is science?

4. Nature of Science The natural world is understandable
Science is based on evidence- both experimental and observational
Science is a blend of logic and innovation
Scientific ideas are durable yet subject to change as new data are collected
Science is a complex social endeavor
Scientists try to remain objective and engage in peer review to help avoid bias

5. Thinking Like a Scientist
What are some skills that scientists use?
You may want to use your notes!
Examples: posing questions, making observations and inferences, hypothesizing, designing experiments, collecting data, taking measurements, interpreting data and results, and drawing conclusions

6. How Many times is the ball passed?

7. What is Observation? Why is observation important in science?
When you observe, you become aware of something using one of your senses. It is a statement describing a fact.
What are your senses?

8. Your observations of the Classroom1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

9. Scientists need to take very careful observations
Scientists need to take very careful observations. Often, their senses are not good enough.
What are some things that cannot be observed using just your senses?
What are some ways in which scientists have solved this problem?

10. What is an Inference
An inference is a statement based on interpretation of the facts

11. Your inferences of the classroom1. 2. 3.

12. Examples Observations The plant is extremely wilted
The car stopped moving
The Reds are leading the division
Inferences
The plant is extremely wilted due to the lack of water
The car stopped moving because it ran out of gas
The Reds are leading the division because they have the best players in the league

13. Observations?
Inferences?

14. The Scientific Method
How important is it that we go step by step when using the scientific method?

15. Why is it important that we have clear steps when we perform an experiment?

16. What are the steps of the scientific method?

17. State a________________
Make an______________
Create a_______________
Perform an______________
Analyze the_______________
Form a___________________

18. Is that it? Which one is right?

19. What is a theory? I have a theory about why you are late everyday.
What is the difference between the everyday use of theory and a scientific theory?
How do you get to a theory?

20. Control & Variables
Control- the standard used to compare with the outcome of a test
Independent Variable- The factor that is changed in an experiment
Dependent Variable- What is measured in an experiment; the response to the independent variable

21. Control
Why is a control needed in an experiment?

22. More on Variables
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: The variable that is changed by the scientist. “I CONTROL”
DEPENDENT VARIABLE: The variable that changes due to what the scientist changed. WHAT IS BEING MEASURED

23. Your Hypothesis Can Help You Identify the Variables
EXAMPLE: If I drink a caffeinated beverage before bed, I will not sleep very much.
IV:
DV:

24. EXAMPLE: If I leave the water running, my water bill will be expensive.
DV:

25. EXAMPLE: If I feed the snake more, it will grow larger.
IV:
DV:

26. EXAMPLE: As you dive deeper into the lake, the temperature will get colder.
DV:

27. EXAMPLE: Bike riders who have fenders over their tires will be dryer going through puddles than those who do not have fenders.
IV:
DV:

28. EXAMPLE: Worker satisfaction increases worker productivity.
DV:

29. EXAMPLE: The higher the temperature of water, the faster an egg will boil.
IV:
DV:

30. EXAMPLE: The older a student is, the faster they will be able to complete a sodoku.
IV:
DV:

31. EXAMPLE: The longer the snake, the more food they will eat.
IV:
DV:

32. EXAMPLE: The healthier a person is, the faster they will be able to run a kilometer race.
IV:
DV:

33. Scientific Method Comic
Create a comic strip depicting the scientific method. You must have at least 6 scenes and must use all of the following terms:
Independent Variable, Dependent Variable, Observation, Problem/Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Result, and Conclusion.
You must come up with your own experiment to test.

34. Next Week Measurements- International System of Units
Scientific Tools- Examples?